


Car Camping

by Wolfcry22



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dean Winchester is Sam Winchester's Parent, Fever, Gen, Protective Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester Angst, Sam Winchester Whump, Sick Character, Sick Sam Winchester, Sickfic, Sneezing, The Impala (Supernatural)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:38:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24600172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfcry22/pseuds/Wolfcry22
Summary: The Winchesters are between jobs, between towns, and between houses. Which is normally fine. They've done plenty of car camping before, and while it's not the greatest, it's usually manageable. But this time Sammy is sick, and Dean is getting worried.
Relationships: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 55





	Car Camping

**Author's Note:**

> This really can take place in any season, but I’d say maybe season 1 or season 2 fits the best. This is just some harmless fluff with a protective Dean and sick Sam.

"ItcSHshshh!"

Dean looked over from his seat in the Impale to Sam in the passengers seat. He was shivering like mad and had his wrist pressed against his nose to stem the flow of mucus that threatened to drip down his face. He sniffed wetly before he pressed his forehead against the cool car window. He gave a weak cough, trying to press himself against the passenger door as tightly as possible.

"Bless you, Sammy," Dean offered as he gave him a reassuring smile. "You okay?" 

Sam looked over, teeth slightly chattering. "Id fide." 

"If you can say that and I can actually understand you, then I'll believe you," Dean told him, frowning.

Sam snuffled deeply, the sound crackling in his nostrils. He coughed before he shook his head. "Ib." He paused and tried again. "Ib. Dabit!"

Dean shook his head gravely. This was worse than he thought. "Never mind, Sam. Do you have those napkins still from lunch?"

Sam rummaged through the paper bag at his feet. His fingers brushed the rough napkins, pulling them into view. He had used them to blow his nose once earlier, but they would have to do. "I doubt they're goind to do be buch good," he confessed. 

Dean bit his lip. He looked around, but all he could see was forest for miles about. It wasn't like they had a GPS, only maps. He could just tell that there was no way that they were going to find a store or a motel for sometime. He was growing tired and he knew that Sam was too. They were going to have to stop soon to get some real rest.

"You're going to have to make do. I'm sorry," Dean told him cooly. He didn't need Sam to know how nervous he really was that he was sick. He just had to play it cool. 

Sam complied as he blew his nose like a trumpet. Once he was finished he gave it one final wipe along the underside of his nostrils and leaned back. It wasn't long before Sam sucked in a breath and started up again. 

"ItcsHshsh! ItchshshHSh! Itcshshs!"

"Goodness, bless you, Sammy," Dean exclaimed as he glanced at his brother.

Sam rubbed his wrist against his nose once more. He coughed toward the ceiling of the Impala as he tried to stretch out. He shifted in discomfort thanks to his long legs. He almost arched his back in a stretch before he decided that that was a bad idea. 

Dean bit on his lower lip so hard that he nearly drew blood. He swallowed thickly, pulling the car off to the side of the road almost in the nearest cornfield. He turned off the engine and looked over to Sam. It was obvious he was in some serious discomfort. After all, they had been driving for almost eight hours.

"Sam, come here," pleaded Dean as he stretched out his hand toward Sam's forehead.

Sam drew back with round eyes as if Dean was going to hurt him. Dean knew that his fever must be raging, or he was that achy. "I'm just checking you for fever, Sam. That's it. Remember, feel the forehead? It's what we used to do when we were younger because Dad never had a thermometer."

Sam relaxed a bit as Dean rested a calloused hand on his forehead. He jumped back at the heat and frowned. "Sammy, you're burning up. That's a nasty fever you have there." 

Sam blinked his eyes, licking his dry lips. "We can't do anything about it," he pointed out darkly.

Dean was thinking the same thing, but he didn't want to vocalize that. It was an effort not to freak out Sam even though his brother seemed relatively calm at the moment. But, that could be a whole different reason. 

"Sam, how about you move to the back," Dean offered.

Sam narrowed his eyes. "Are we car camping again?"

"You used to love car camping," pointed out Dean as he climbed out from the driver's side and stretched out his legs and his back.

Sam let out a snort, which quickly turned into a sputtering cough. "Yeah, when I was seven! Car camping is awful now. I don't fit," he complained.

"I guess Impalas aren't meant for a Sasquatches like you," Dean taunted as he opened the back door and surveyed it. It had been a while since anyone had laid back here, but they could make it work.

He headed to the trunk to bring out as many blankets as he could find. They were all dust covered and had holes in them, but they were better than nothing. He needed something to cover Sam with. He was shivering like mad and not to mention that they didn't have any tissues left. He was going to have to use blankets or shirts at this point. Dean wasn't sure which one would be better.

"Come on, Sam. Get back here," Dean told him as he spread one of the blankets across the seats.

Sam looked back to Dean with embarrassed etched on his face. "I'm not sure that I can," he confessed as he looked to his brother before glancing down at his hands. 

"What do you-" 

"ITchsHshh! ItchsHShsh! ItchshsHSHsh! ItcSHsh!"

"Bless you," Dean grumbled as he drew back. He knew what Sam meant. His legs were too weak or too achy to carry him a few feet. Luckily, that was what Dean was for.

Dean came around and opened the passenger door. He pulled Sam out as Sam leaned so heavily on him that Dean thought he was going to collapse from his weight. Dean sighed as he felt the heat pulsing from Sam. It was the beginning of a raging fever and that could only guess would get worse and spike. If it spiked, then Dean would have no way to lower it. He needed to do anything in his power to make sure that didn’t happen. 

"Come on, Sam, you have to work with me," panted Dean as he almost dragged Sam forward.

It was only a few feet, but Sam was heavy. Sam suddenly paused when Dean opened the back door. "What now," Dean complained. 

"ITshsHshh! ItcSHsHs!"

"Damnit, Sam," Dean gasped as Sam sneezed away from him and almost took him down in the process. His nose ran freely. Sam whimpered in discomfort. Dean could tell how high Sam's fever had climbed and that he probably wouldn't remember this in the morning.

Dean lifted his sleeve and rubbed at Sam's nose roughly. Sam drew away sharply. Dean tried to ignore what he just did as he helped Sam into the backseat. He got him horizontal before he started piling blankets on top of him. He certainly didn't fit great in the back seat, but it was better than being squeezed in the passenger seat. 

"That better, Sammy," Dean asked as he tucked the blankets around him.

Sam looked at Dean with feverish eyes. He started to cough and his breath wheezed in his chest. Dean prayed that it wouldn't turn into pneumonia. They didn't need that. Sam didn't need that.

"You alright," Dean asked.

"Still cold," Sam complained as he buried his head into the blankets.

Dean nodded as he rummaged around. "I'll fix that, but first we need to get you something to blow your nose with or at least wipe your nose with." Dean had a feeling that he might be doing most of that, but he didn't care. That’s what big brothers were for. 

He couldn't find any napkins that weren't beyond use. It looked like a shirt was going to be the next play. He opened his duffle and produced the softest flannel shirt that he could find. He turned it near Sam's face since he couldn't count that he would actually lift it to his nose that time.

"You doing okay," Dean asked once more. 

"ITcSHsHs!"

Sam sneezed into the shirt and rubbed his nose against it. "Code," he mumbled.

"I know that you're cold, but what do you want me to do about it? There's no more blankets," Dean pointed out gruffly.

Sam coughed painfully, turning to look at the open field and the stars above him. "Stay with me," he pleaded.

Dean swallowed a groan as he climbed in after his brother. He sat on the floor of the Impala and didn't even want to think all what could be down there. He wrapped an arm almost around Sam as he tried to force some of his body heat on his brother. His fever was still very much there and there was no way to bring it down. They were just going to have to tough it out. Dean saw no other way around this. 

Sam coughed and sneezed periodically, causing Dean to shake with him. Just when Dean thought that he was almost asleep, he would wake up again. Dean tried not to complain about it. He knew that Sam was ill and car camping wasn't ideal right now. However, he just had to comfort Sam as much as he possibly could.

"Just relax, Sammy," Dean chided as he rubbed Sam's back through the blankets. "Shhh."

Dean wasn't sure what time it actually was, but when he woke up he was laying almost completely on Sam with his arm still draped over him. He withdrew quickly before Sam could notice. That would be awkward as hell for both of them.

Sam stirred once Dean moved and Dean was elated to see that his eyes had lost their feverish hint. He was still a little warm, but it wasn't nearly as dangerous. Dean stretched out a hand to rest the back of it against Sam’s forehead to check. "Dude, cut it out,” Sam protested.

"Sorry, Sammy, I was just worried about you last night. Car camping got a little rough," Dean laughed nervously.

Surprise showed in Sam's gaze. "Like how rough?" 

"Just you being sick, but you're alright now, right?" He ruffled Sam's sweaty hair. "Ugh, you need a shower though!"

Sam would've punched him but his nose decided something different. He buried his head into the shirt and pivoted away from Dean just in time.

"ItcSHshsh! ItcSHshsh!"

"Bless you, sneezy," joked Dean as he nudged his shoulder. Sam grimaced.

There was a laugh before Dean picked up the map and started to read it. "Looks like the nearest motel is about fifty miles from here. Think you're up to it?"

Sam thought for a moment before he snuggled back down. "Do you think that I could do a little more car camping back here," he asked hopefully.

Dean nodded as he stood. "Sure. You just stay back here and I'll wake you when we get there," he told him as he ruffled his hair once more. 

"Thanks. Oh and, Dean!"

Dean turned to look back at him before he could close the door. "Thanks for last night too. I don't remember much of it, but thanks anyway."

"No problem," Dean explained as he nodded his head to his brother. "Just try to keep those monstrous sneezes of yours under control, got it? Don’t want you getting my Baby all germy.” 

"I don't-"

"Shirt!"

"ITshShsh! ItcSHsH!"

"Just proved my point," Dean exclaimed as he climbed back into the driver's side and started the engine, hearing it turn over, rumbling deeply as he drove back onto the open highway.

Sam gritted his teeth as he rolled his eyes. "Jerk!"

Dean looked back and saw the amused glow back in his brother's eyes. That's all that he ever wanted to see. But, that didn't mean he couldn't give him a hard time. "Bitch!"

**Author's Note:**

> This was just a quick one shot that I wrote between Sam and Dean. I always loved anytime they were in the Impala and wanted to reflect that in the story. I hope you all enjoyed and are staying safe and healthy!


End file.
